The next day Yuya was teased constantly about his pathetic excuse for a duel. He was tripped in the halls, pushed down stairs and laughed at almost all the day. He was utterly miserable, all his thoughts were dark and self destroying. And his treatment from his peers did not help. There was also the way Varsch kept rubbing it in his face that he was the one dating Zuzu. It hurt for him to see the girl he loved with another. But even more so to know that, that person didn't really care about her. He found himself constantly watching the two of them for the entire day. He looked on sadly, seeing how happy the two of them were. A part of him said it should be him laughing with Zuzu, but another part said he wasn't worthy.

Apart from that, it was a normal day. And a normal day would not be complete without him being ambushed by Nathan's gang as he left so he could be dragged to the back of the school and beaten up. He didn't fight back when they did. He had neither the will nor the strength.

"Come on." Robin whined, giving Yuya another punch. "It's no fun when you don't fight back."

"Don't bother." Said Carter. "He's too much of a coward to fight."

They all laughed and began slinging insults at him along with the kicks and punches.

Coward

Freak

Loser

Pathetic

Loner

Loser

Useless

Were just some of them.

"I can't believe someone like you ever thought you had a chance with a girl like Zuzu, she's way out of your league." Varsch said coldly.

"Considering your league is the lowest in the world." Devin stated, matter of factly. Yuya didn't respond, just slumped against the wall, too pained to move.

"Tell me Yuya." Varsch began, kneeling down so he was level with him. "What are you?"

Yuya muttered incoherently.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I said," Yuya rasped. "That I'm an ugly, useless, pathetic fool. I'm just a joke."

Varsch and his friends smirked happily, especially at the sad, forlorn tone Yuya spoke with.

"Yes you are." Varsch said. "And you always will be, it's so nice to see you finally accept it."

He gave Yuya one final kick, laughed, then left.

As soon as he was alone, Yuya let the tears that had built up in his eyes fall. He whimpered in pain, sadness and loneliness.

"Yuya?"

The person in question raised his head to see none other than Zuzu stood in front of him. She looked concerned, but that was impossible, she didn't care about him, no one did.

"If you're hear to laugh and insult me too just get on with it." He murmured.

She just stared at him, completely stunned. This can't be Yuya… He looks so broken and hurt. She also couldn't believe what she'd just witnessed, her boyfriend and some of the school bullies beating and tormenting Yuya. Varsch wouldn't do something like that, but she'd seen it herself… Ah! I'm so confused. She cried inside her head. She was brought back to reality by the sound of Yuya moaning and collapsing.

"Yuya!" She cried, rushing to his side. He was unconscious and very badly hurt. She had to act fast. She scooped him up in her arms, not caring how ridiculous it must have looked, and rushed to find Yuya some help. It didn't matter to her that he'd been acting so harshly towards her recently, he was still her friend. Whether he liked it or not.